Using the chart for autonomous learning

Using the chart for autonomous learning

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If learners have access to a computer outside class, they can use the chart together with a dictionary to check the pronunciation of new words they meet in their own reading. This is particularly useful for learners who are not yet fully familiar with all the sounds on the chart. Encourage your learners to record the pronunciation of new words they meet, both in and out of class, in their vocabulary notebooks.

You can also set homework related to pronunciation, which learners can check using the online chart before bringing to class. As mentioned above, you could ask them to write 5 new words from the class in phonemic script for homework, to be used to test their classmates. Similarly, if you want to focus on a sound which is problematic for your learners, ask them to find 5 words including that sound and write them in phonemic script. With a little training, your learners could prepare their own 'minimal pairs', for example with the sounds /i:/ and /I/. Depending on their level, they might come up with something like this:

/I/

/i:/

Sit

seat

hit

heat

will

wheel

mill

meal

bin

been

ship

sheep

They can use these to test their classmates' ability to discriminate between these sounds, as well as their own pronunciation, in the next class. They simply show the two lists of words to a partner, and say one of the words. The partner responds 'left' or 'right'. For example, in the list above, if student A says 'seat', student B will (hopefully) respond 'right'.